Doug Sheff: Righting wrongs for the average Joe

Some may consider personal injury attorneys to be ambulance chasers. But to Doug Sheff, personal injury is a segment of the legal profession that, in the most obvious of ways, rights wrongs for the average Joe.

To that end, Sheff chairs a workplace safety task force for the Massachusetts Bar Association, of which he is president-elect. The task force was a major force behind legislation that went into effect in January, requiring staffing agencies to provide greater transparency to their workers.

A good day for me is a victory for a deserving client — usually a victim of a serious injury or a death caused by carelessness by someone else. If we have a case that has a lasting impact, that’s very gratifying.

How do you stay centered amidst such sadness among your clients?

I’m passionate about the law, but I don’t get all of my identity from the law. I do tai chi. I love writing, traveling and playing music.

What do you say to people who call personal injury lawyers ambulance chasers?

The most decent, charitable people I’ve met in my life are lawyers. Our profession gives more pro-bono work than all other professionals combined.

What has been your toughest business decision?

Whether to settle or try a case. It’s always a risk, going to trial. And that’s always a very stressful and difficult situation. You want to make sure your client gets top dollar, but there’s always that element of risk.

What are your pet peeves?

People who don’t have passion. People who go through the motions. People who are marking time. That really bugs me. And I also don’t want a legal system that cares more about efficiency than fairness or justice. There needs to be a sense of humanity in it.

What has been your biggest professional obstacle?

Throughout my career, there’s been an active and intentional attempt to sabotage the legal system with tort reform. That’s my biggest challenge.

Do you have a mentor?

My dad, “Chick” Sheff. He was a real character. We together worked on steering the firm to the direction it is today.